1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear motion guide apparatus, and more particularly to a linear motion guide apparatus including a wiper designed and arranged to be easily and readily attached to or disengaged from the linear motion guide apparatus without additional tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical linear motion guide devices comprise a slider or slide block slidably attached onto a guide rail, and normally, a ball bearing device disposed between the slider and the guide rail for facilitating the sliding movement between the slider and the guide rail and for allowing the slider and the guide rail to be smoothly moved relative to each other.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,722 to Yuasa et al. discloses one of the typical linear motion rolling guide units comprising a slider or slide block slidably attached onto a guide rail, and one or more end seals or wiper devices attached onto the slide block or the end caps and having a soft rubber lips or lip portions for engaging with the guide rail and for making a tight seal between the slide block and the guide rail and for wiping off the dust or particles or the like that may be engaged into the space formed between the slide block and the guide rail.
However, the dust proof wipers or end seals are solidly secured onto the end cap or the slide block with four or more fasteners, and it will also take a long time to fasten and to unfasten the fasteners onto and from the dust proof seal. In addition, the dust proof wipers or end seals should be slightly bent or twisted for allowing the dust proof wipers or end seals to be attached onto and engaged with the guide rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,146 to Lee discloses another typical linear motion rolling guide device also comprising a slider or slide block slidably attached onto a guide rail, and a dust proof seal attached onto the slide block and having a soft rubber member for engaging with the guide rail and for making a tight seal between the slide block and the guide rail and for wiping off the dust or particles or the like that may be engaged into the space formed between the slide block and the guide rail.
However, similarly, the dust proof seal is normally solidly secured onto an end cap or the slide block with four or more fasteners, and it takes a long time to fasten and to unfasten the fasteners onto and from the dust proof seal. In addition, the dust proof seals may only be attached or engaged onto the guide rail from the end portion of the guide rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,121,724 to Lee et al. discloses a further typical linear motion rolling guide device also comprising a slider or slide block slidably attached onto a guide rail, and a wiper member attached onto the slide block and having a soft rubber member for engaging with the guide rail and for making a tight seal between the slide block and the guide rail, and a frame provided for receiving or securing the end caps and the wiper members.
However, the wiper members and the end caps are required to be received and secured in the frame, such that the end caps and the wiper members also may only be attached or engaged onto the guide rail from the end portion of the guide rail, and the wiper members may not be easily and quickly attached or engaged onto the end caps.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional linear motion guide devices.